Hollywood Horse Stars
By Brandy Kines
Ever wonder about the Equine movie stars and what their story is? Remember back to the movies, “Dances with Wolves”, “Black Beauty”, and “The Horse Whisperer”, who are these horses.

Plain Justin Bar is a buckskin gelding who played the role of Kevin Costner’s trusty mount, Cisco, in the 1991 Academy Award winning picture “Dances with Wolves”. ‘Justin’ as he is affectionately known by his friends and owners is by Impressive Dan and out of the Modesto Rocket mare Plain Pearl Bar. This buckskin gelding was the first winner of the Silver Spur Award given by the AQHA for excellence. And for those wondering, after his heroic death scene, he is alive and well at Redstone Farm in Texas.
A gutsy Black Quarter Horse won the star role in the 1994 version of the Warner Brothers movie “Black Beauty”. This stallion went from an unsuccessful racing career to one of the Hollywood’s most wanted equine performers. While playing the part, Docs Keepin Time had to perform many tricks, including working without a rider, rearing and even nodding and shaking his head. One of his most famous scenes was when ‘Black Beauty’ gets trapped inside a barn fire. To protect him from the flames, Docs Keepin Time was coated with a fire retardant gel. This was not his only Hollywood appearance however, this stallion is also scene in Busch Beer commercials, performed in a rock music video, and won hearts of many Americans in the TV series “The Black Stallion”. Docs Keepin Time was also in “The Horse Whisperer” playing the role of Gulliver.
“The Horse Whisperer” includes two other Quarter horses. In 1998, Rambo Roman played the role of Rimrock. Rambo Roman was a 10 year old gelding by True Roman and ridden by Robert Redford throughout the movie. Redford was so impressed at the sight of Rambo Roman, and after riding him, bought him as his person mount.
The other Quarter Horse in the movie has actually been seen in many others as well. Hightower is a sorrel American Quarter horse who was bought as a ranch horse by the renowned trick trainer Rex Peterson. Hightower made his film debut in the 1988 movie “Winter People”. In 1994, he was a supporting actor in the movie “Black Beauty” The sorrel gelding played Ginger along side Docs Keepin Time. Julia Roberts is even a fan of the horse. She can be seen in the beginning of “Runaway Bride” galloping away from her wedding mounted on him. His most famous role, however, was the role of Pilgrim in “The Horse Whisperer”. Hightower had to play a horse who was hit by a semi-truck and was severely injured and traumatized.
The American Quarter Horse industry is well represented in Hollywood by these amazing horses. It is no wonder that people falls in love with the breed after watching them on the big screen.

We all love diamonds. They’re pretty shiny things, and everyone knows they have great value, and it’s nice to be seen in their company. These once dull rocks that were formed over thousands of years from pieces of compressed coal are offered to sweethearts the world over, and that gift has come to symbolize an act of love. After being polished to a high sheen, these ultimate tokens of affection are given to women who wear them with pride, and everyone agrees they have great and lasting worth. As a matter of fact, the saying goes, “Diamonds are forever.”
We are much the same about people. We adore the star, we strain and struggle to be friends with the gifted athlete or the special singer, or any of those we might refer to as the ‘talented ones.’ Those are the diamonds – they shine – and it’s nice to be seen in their company. Everyone agrees they will go far, and that they have great promise, and we tell them so. The coach likes them, all the teachers treat them as if they were special, and we know they will do well. It really takes no special talent to recognize them – they are easy to spot. And ain’t it a shame that description doesn’t fit you and me?
Yep, it’s sad but true that most of us would never call ourselves ‘diamonds,’ but rather just plain old ordinary rocks. Plain stones – just old plain stones. Ah, well…some people have it and some don’t, right? That’s just the way it is, and if only we had their personality, their athletic ability, their voice – or talent – then we too could be sought after, well thought of, and special. If only there was something special about us…
Actually there is.
As unbelievable as it may seem, there really is. We yearn for just a ray of hope, but there is not only a ray, there is a light so bright we can hardly stand to look at it. There is so much in all of us that we are afraid to let our light shine. Most of us never even consider letting it out because if we did others might laugh, they might make fun and point fingers. Others would say, “That’s awful.” Or they would sneer and say, “Who are you to think you can do that? Don’t you know thousands of people have gone broke doing that?” If we dared tell people who and what we really are, surely they would shake their heads from side to side, and say our name very slowly three times as in, “Mary, Mary, Mary…you need to be realistic, you’ve always been a such a dreamer.”
And it’s taken me years to learn this, but the only difference between all us old plain ordinary stones and the diamonds is that those who became diamonds had the courage to try. And guess what people said to them when they did?
“That’s awful!”
“Who are you to think you can do that?”
“You will never make it in this business.”
And they did it anyway, and turned from a plain stone into a diamond. Just ordinary people who chose to do extraordinary things with their days…people just like you and me.
It takes courage to try, and the lion in the Wizard of Oz thought he didn’t have that quality, but as the lion discovered, he did. And the Tin Man had a heart, and the Scarecrow had a mind. We are the same. We are stronger than we think. We are more than we know.
And not only are we more than we know, but perhaps the best and most rewarding thing we can do is help others come to that same awareness. Rebecca says, “The best thing in life is to take an underdog, and help them become a showdog!” Someone did that magical thing for most of us, and we should never miss an opportunity to do the same for another. We are unaware of the power we have to be a force in the lives of others. A teacher once told me of a fifth-grade student who confided her dream and heart’s desire…
“I want to be a doctor,” whispered the child with eyes full of hope.
“My heart broke for her,” the teacher said as she weaved the tale. “This little girl was certainly not intelligent enough for such a rigorous career, and her family was just dirt poor, but…” and her eyes teared at the memory. “But,” she continued, “I simply could not bring myself to tell this child the truth. I knew I should tell her this was an impossible choice for many reasons, but I could not. For the rest of her school years, she continued to tell me about the dream, and all the people she would help, and my dishonesty filled me with shame. I knew I should tell her the truth, but I just couldn’t,” and she paused wiping her eyes again.
“Years later at a conference, this beautiful woman approached me, and after giving me a big hug, asked if I knew who she was. I had to confess that I did not, but after looking into her eyes, I saw that little fifth-grader. Then she told me I was the reason she was a doctor.”
“Oh, dear,” the teacher said. “You must not give me credit for that. I never told you that you could.”
“I know,” said the physician. “But you were the only one who never told me I couldn’t.”
So it is with fifth-graders and some horses we think might never make it, and so it is with most of us. Some times we get lucky and a special human being comes into our life who isn’t so interested in diamonds, but these special people are looking for something else. They are looking for people like you and me. Not the shiny ones with all the early talent, but people like you and me. And let’s all commit for this coming year to be one of those who never tell another they cannot. Let’s all spend our days looking for and encouraging people like you and me…diamonds in the rough.

“Before I met you, I was just standing over there rusting for the longest time.”
The Tin Man to Dorothy – The Wizard of Oz

OLD FRIENDS by Michael Johnson

Is there anything better? Better than old friends, I mean. Herman Hesse once said, “The best thing in life is to meet old friends for the first time.” And that just about says it all, doesn’t it? We’ve all had the experience of meeting someone and after only a few minutes of brief conversation, seem to have known them our entire lives. Indeed, in some odd way, it seems we have known them even before.

Relationships with these people are characterized by what I call the “endless conversation.” We find ourselves talking to them about personal things in the first moments of our initial encounter, then we may not see them for months or years. Yet at our next meeting, the conversation picks up just where it left off long ago. Old friends…a most precious gift. I had lunch with one just the other day.

When I was twenty years old, my life might be best described as a mess. Just having been booted off the rodeo trail due to a distinct lack of ability, I had no skills, and no money. I found myself sitting in the Financial Aids Office at Texas A&M Commerce desperately rehearsing what I might say to convince some college dean to give me a loan to attend school. The receptionist said all the counselors were busy, and that I would have to come back tomorrow. I didn’t want to tell her that meant another night sleeping in my old truck. Then, I met an old friend for the first time.

Jerry Lytle came walking out of his office. “I have time to talk to you,” he said smiling. I noticed his office door said “Director,” and realized he didn’t have to take the time to talk to me, but he did. He was a clean cut, good looking, successful man – a far cry from the young cowboy in dirty jeans and boots sitting in his office, yet he extended his hand, and said, “I’m Jerry. Come on in and let’s talk.”

And in that stuttering voice that plagued me all my early days, I found myself telling him everything.

I told him about how my Daddy had died suddenly. About how my Momma had been destroyed with grief, and at the moment, couldn’t cope with life. I told him about all my F’s, about the below average I.Q., about an experience with my horse – how I couldn’t feed her, and how that had broken my heart. And finally, how I had learned that I needed to live a different life. I wanted to go to school, and this time, I would not fail. Yet, I had no money, and was living in my truck. And finally, that I needed a loan. Desperately.

During my wandering, stammering confession, he never said a word. He just listened. When I finished, he turned looking out the window. Suddenly, he rose from his chair, walked out of his office, and said to the secretary, “I’ll be gone for the rest of the day.” Realizing I had made a fool of myself, I stood, and through his door, I said, “Thank you for talking to me, I’ll be going…”“No,” he said. “You’re coming with me.”

We drove in his truck for a time without speaking. Then he turned off the highway down a blacktop lane. A few miles later we came to a farmhouse.He pulled in the driveway coasting to an easy stop, and just sat there for a time looking at the old place.

“This is an old house we use for storing hay,” he said. “The stove works, and it has running water. We can move the hay to Dad’s big barn. We have some land here. You can hunt. There are two ponds with fish in them. I would ask that on weekends, you help us work the cattle. I have a gas tank over there,” he said pointing. “And if you won’t steal me blind, you can fill up your truck once a week. That should be enough to get you to class.” And after a brief silence, he said, “I’ll start processing your loan tomorrow.”

It’s been thirty-five years ago now – thirty-five years, last month from that day. I can’t remember where I put my glasses just a few minutes ago, but I remember that day like yesterday. We did move the hay, and I lived in that old house for three years, living off that land, and eating catfish from those ponds. And even though I graduated and moved away, there’s still a piece of me in those woods, and in those ponds. And there are others there, too. Later, Jerry would do the same for another student. He became an ophthalmologist, and for another. He became a vet.

Years later, it’s ten o’clock at night, and I’m sitting on a pier about four feet above the Gulf of Mexico. An orange moon hangs above the water close enough to hit with a rock. To my left, sits the head of the Psychology Department at Texas A&M at Kingsville.
“I have a question for you,” I said.
“Shoot,” answers my boss.
“Something’s bothering me,” I began. “It’s all these people who have helped me.
How can I ever thank them?” I asked. “To go and find them, and shake their hand would be a nice gesture, but so inadequate. How can I ever thank them for what they did for me?”
“You can’t,” he said matter of factly.
“I can’t?”
“Nope, you can’t ever thank them. But you can do something.”
“I would really like to know what that something is,” I said.
“You can only thank all the people who helped you by doing the same for others,” he said. “You can do for others what was done for you.”
“Will that do it?” I asked.
“It helps,” he said. “But no, that won’t do it – it won’t even come close.”

He was right. It did help. I taught school for twenty-five years. I laughed, cried, scolded, applauded, and encouraged others for years, because of what was done for me. And every day now at dusk after roping, I feed the horses, steers, dogs, and barn cats. I sweep out the barn, and prepare the feed for tomorrow. Then, I sit at the north end of my barn door, and their memories come – all those who helped me.

And I ask myself, “Have you paid them back?”
“Not even close,” says my self to me. “Not even close.”

Michael’s latest release, Reflections Of A Cowboy, is currently available in audio book form. The two volume set consists of articles, essays and excerpts from radio performances about good people and good horses in the life of an Oklahoma cowboy. Approximately 8 hours in length. Reflections Of A Cowboy in printed form is scheduled for release in the summer of 2005. Order from Michael’s website or by calling 580-286-7784.

By: Brandy Kines

The American Quarter Horse was the first native horse of the United States. Its foundation stock originated from Arab, Turk and Barb breeds. Select stallions and mares were then crossed with Colonial American horses from England and Ireland in the early 1600’s. Theses horses were originally bred specifically to race the quarter mile.

The first quarter mile races were held in Enrico County, Virginia in 1674. They were one-on-one match races that were run down village streets, country lanes or level pastures.

In the 1800’s, cattle ranches began to stretch across the plains. On of the most active place for the breed was in the state of Texas. Being known for cow sense and a calm disposition, the Quarter horse was ideally suited for the West.

In 1940, The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) was formed. It is located in Amarillo, TX, and is now the largest equine registry in the world. The AQHA has over four million registered horses and more than 300,000 members’ world wide. This Association was established to ensure the unique qualities of the breed did not perish.

Today, Quarter horses compete in every discipline ranging from traditional rodeo events such as roping and barrel racing to English classes of dressage and show jumping to the western events of pleasure and reining. This makes them one of the most versatile breeds in the world.

The characteristics of the American Quarter horse are numerous. The AQHA has set forth a strict set of guidelines regarding the registration of their horses. They are only allowed to have white on the face and white reaching the knees or hocks of the horse. White anywhere else is not allowed. The Quarter horses have 13 common colors with sorrel and bay being the most common. The other 11 are black, brown, buckskin, dun, red dun, grey, chestnut, grullo, palomino, red roan and blue roan. Most horses are between 14 and 16 hands high, but can become as tall as 17 hands. Other identifiable characteristics are heavy muscling, sprinters speed, versatility, keen cow sense and a gently nature. It has kept its docile temperament, sound structure, cow sense and speed to this day. The American Quarter Horse is still a staple on cattle ranches and now on the rodeo scene. This gentle breed is also an everyday pleasure horse for adults and children.

With the wide range of talents the American Quarter Horse possesses, it will continue to grow and be known as one of the most popular horse breeds in the world.

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By: Brandy Kines

When taking a photograph of your horse, you must first understand your horse. What is your horses appeal to the buyer?

When taking a picture of your horse, it is best to remember to make the horse as attractive as possible. The horse should be clean and clipped. An ideal time to take photographs is during the summer when they have finished shedding their winter coat. Also make sure that both their mane and tail is combed out and free of dirt and shavings. The individual animal should look ready to go into an arena and compete. The horse should be in good condition, bright and alert.

Still Shots

When setting a horse up for a profile (side view) picture, do not set their feet together. The front leg closest to you should be slightly in front of the far front leg. The rear leg closer to you should be behind the far rear leg.
The horse in a front ¾ view photograph should have its feet offset just a little. This gives the animal an appearance of being square. A ¾ rear view is taken the same way, except the horses’ head should be turned toward the camera so the eye can be seen.

When taking pictures of halter horses or horses without a saddle, their head and neck should be up, looking forward with bright eyes and ears.

Performance horses or horses with a saddle should have their head and neck level with their withers, looking straight ahead. They should also have their ears pricked forward.

If you are photographing a younger horse, that is still growing, you must choose the picture that does not make the animal appear to be high at the withers or hips. If you have a horse with a long back, you would not want to take a profile picture of that horse. The more ideal scenario for this animal would be a ¾ view from the front. A more narrow based horse, who profiles well, would be better photographed from the side.
When you are taking pictures of horses, you should pay attention to the lighting. Dawn and dusk are not ideal times for photographing your horse. This could detract from the appearance of the photograph due to the darkness. If a shadow does appear in the photograph, it should be behind the horse, not in front!

Action Shots

In specialized events, you must pick the perfect time to take your shot. In roping horses, a photograph is normally taken after the rope is thrown, when the horse is stopping while he is setting his hocks in the ground and working the rope. Cutting horses should be working a calf, showing as much action as possible. A cutting picture should also show the horse as bright and alert and should not have the turn-back horses in the picture. If it’s a reining horse, the ideal picture is taken during a sliding stop with the horses’ hocks in the ground, back rounded and flexing at the pole. A barrel horse picture is taken as the horses’ shoulder clears a barrel. Pictures of pole bending horses’ are taken as soon as the rider’s body clears a pole. Jumping horse pictures are taken at a ¾ angle from the jump. The horse is in mid-air, going over the jump with its front legs tucked evenly underneath its chest, with a rounded back. These can also be taken from the side of the jump as the horse is taking off. The horse should be alert watching for the jump, have its legs tucked under its chest and be pushing off the ground with its hind legs.

Overall, when photographing a sale horse, remember eye appeal sells!! Each industry is different and you must know what that industry wants. All breeds are different, what the stock horse industry wants, may not be what the hunter/jumper industry wants. To get an idea of what your industry feels is eye appealing, look in breed or specialty magazines. However, you cannot just go off of what the industry likes. Just because it is right for that industry does not mean that it is the right picture to show off your horses’ ability or appearance.

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